English 9 Short Story Vocabulary: Key Terms and Definitions

Emanate

To spread out from a source. (verb)

Eerie

Strange and frightening; inspiring a feeling of mysterious dread. (adjective)

Obsolete

No longer produced or used; out of date. (adjective)

Incongruous

Not in harmony or keeping with the surroundings. (adjective)

Patronizing

Displaying a condescending or superior attitude. (adjective)

Poignant

Evoking a keen sense of sadness, regret, or emotion. (adjective)

Estranged

No longer close or affectionate to someone; alienated. (adjective)

Coarse

Rough or loose in texture or grain. (adjective)

Compulsion

An irresistible urge to behave in a certain way. (noun)

Metamorphosis

A change of the form or nature of a thing into a completely different one. (noun)

Desolate

Deserted of people and in a state of bleak emptiness. (adjective)

Prodigious

Remarkably or impressively great in extent, size, or degree. (adjective)

Labyrinth

A complicated, irregular network of passages; a maze. (noun)

Fleeting

Lasting for a very short time; brief. (adjective)

Residue

A small amount of something that remains after the main part has gone. (noun)